Cliff Deal Irks Hospitals

Now that health-care providers have sifted through the fiscal-cliff package, one group is emerging as the most upset with the deal: hospitals.

Several pieces of the bill, which is headed for President Barack Obama’s desk, would reduce federal payments to hospitals in exchange for staving off cuts to doctor’s pay. Hospitals are calling it a raid on their funding, which has already been subject to cuts in the health overhaul law.

The bill puts off for one year the cuts in reimbursements to doctors for treating elderly patients through the Medicare program — a patch that comes with a $25.2 billion price tag…